War of Nine Kings

The "War of Nine Kings" was a rebellion mentioned in Genesis 14 in the Hebrew Bible. Five rebellious kings that included Sodom and Gomorrah fought against their former master Chedorlaomer of Elam after 13 years of serving him, and from the 13th year to the 14th year, battles were fought. At the Battle of Siddim, Chedorlaomer took over Sodom and Gomorrah and captured Abraham's nephew Lot, but Abraham defeated the Elamites with an army of 318 men at the Battle of Hobah, rescuing Lot and his possessions.

Description in Genesis 14
''In the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim, these kings made war with Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). And all these joined forces in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea). Twelve years they had served Chedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled. In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him came and defeated the Rephaim in Ashteroth-karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shaveh-kiriathaim, and the Horites in their hill country of Seir as far as El-paran on the border of the wilderness. Then they turned back and came to En-mishpat (that is, Kadesh) and defeated all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites who were dwelling in Hazazon-tamar.''

''Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) went out, and they joined battle in the Valley of Siddim with Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goiim, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar, four kings against five. Now the Valley of Siddim was full of bitumen pits, and as the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some fell into them, and the rest fled to the hill country. So the enemy took all the possessions of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and went their way. They also took Lot, the son of Abram's brother, who was dwelling in Sodom, and his possessions, and went their way.''

''Then one who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew, who was living by the oaks of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and of Aner. These were allies of Abram. When Abram heard that his kinsman had been taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house, 318 of them, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. And he divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and defeated them and pursued them to Hobah, north of Damascus. Then he brought back all the possessions, and also brought back his kinsman Lot with his possessions, and the women and the people.''

Interpretation
After twelve years of serving King Chedorlaomer of Elam, five kingdoms (headed by Sodom and Gomorrah) rebelled against the Elamites and their three allies; the war became known as the "War of Nine Kings" because of the high amount of kingdoms involved. The four kingdoms (including Elam) loyal to Chedorlaomer were victorious over the five rebellious kings at Siddim, where some retreating rebels fell into asphalt pits. The battle was a decisive defeat for the rebels, and Abraham's nephew Lot was captured by the Elamites as he lived in Sodom. A survivor of the battle informed Abraham about his nephew's capture, so Abraham led 318 trained soldiers into battle. At Hobah to the north of Damascus in present-day Syria, Abraham defeated the four kings and rescued Lot and his possessions, and the Israelites were greeted by King Melchizedek after the victory. Abraham paid a tithe to Melcizedek, giving him a tenth of the captured spoils.